Stay Tuned
by RadioChick
Summary: Grissom is getting to know Sara better. (WIP!)
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing here. Please no sueing.

Chapter 1

The music was loud; blaring. She turned the knob clockwise. The dash thumped with the steady drum beat flowing under the growling voice of Beth Hart. The car sped down the long desert highway. It was a temporary escape from the rest of the word; the lab, her life, even Grissom. Here he barely penetrated her thoughts for more than a few fleeting seconds. Sara glanced in her rear view mirror at the empty road behind her. The sun was rising over the sands. Soon, the morning traffic would crowd her from her sanctuary. She turned her car haphazardly, and headed back to her apartment for a few hours of sleep before going back to work. Cases came and went. She had put more to rest than most on the night shift. She was used to the nightmares she sometimes got after a particularly gruesome case, but nothing like this. Was it burn out? Had she finally reached that point they all flirted with after a week of heavy overtime, and another unsolved case? Somewhere there was a family who desperately needed closure, but none was to be offered from the Las Vegas crime lab. She felt the familiar pang of guilt that always came when she couldn't pin down the bad guy. There was that feeling that the answer was right in front of her, but she blinded to it. For Sara Sidle every case was personal. If it was unsolved, she had failed. The bad guy got away, and she had let him.

Sara felt her phone vibrating in her coat pocket. She turned the music down quickly.

"Sidle."

"Sara?" Grissom was relieved to finally reach her.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I've been trying to reach you for over two hours. Where are you?"

"I must've been out of range. I sometimes lose the signal out here."

"Out here?"

"I'm on my way home, Grissom. Something up?" Sara could tell he was perturbed.

"I need you back at the lab right away. We have a new suspect. I could really use your help."

Sara smiled despite herself.

"I'm on my way." She closed her phone, and cranked up the music.

Sara strode through the halls of the crime lab in search of Gil Grissom. After first stopping at trace, and then his office, she finally found him pouring over photos on the labs huge light table. If not for the serious circumstances, she might have enjoyed the view. He glasses were halfway down his nose, as he gingerly worked his hand over his well-trimmed beard. She liked the beard. She was glad he kept it.

Sara gently knocked on the door frame as she entered. He motioned for her to come closer, and handed her his magnifier.

"Look here. What do you see?"

Sara studied the photo from the crime scene.

"How'd we miss that?" She was stunned. She frowned in dismay.

"Fresh eyes. We'd been at it for hours." Grissom tilted his head to the side, and looked up at her.

The photo showed the figure of Candice Feldmore stretched out across the hood of her car on the edge of the highway. They had been searching for the murder weapon the previous shift. The photo clearly showed that her antenna was missing.

"Could've been the murder weapon." Sara nodded to Grissom who was looking pleased.

"We need to find an antenna for a 2002 Grand Am." Grissom stood, and turned to face her. "Doesn't Hodges drive a Pontiac?" Grissom sported a mischievous grin.

Sara smiled, nodded, and followed him out the door.

"It's the right diameter." Doc Robbins rolled the woman's body over on her side, as the two CSI's and the Coroner examined the body of Candice.

"So he stabbed her twice with her antenna." Sara spoke softly, and looked up at the monitor. "That explains the small puncture wounds, but we still haven't found the murder weapon." She looked over at the table once more. Candice stared into eternity with a perfect clarity that Sara felt suddenly envious of.

"Sara?" Grissom waved a hand in front of her face, bringing her back from her ruminations. "Did you get that?" He stared at her with concern. She'd been gazing at the dead girl for several quiet moments. It was unsettling for him.

"Yeah. Sure, why?" She shook it off, and glanced up at him. He looked worried.

"Let's get going then. Thanks, Doc." Grissom smiled as they walked out, but grabbed Sara's arm gently as they exited the morgue. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Just a little tired." She yawned as if to show how tired she truly was.

"Breakfast?" He looked at her hopefully.

"Good idea."

"My turn to treat." His broad smile returned, and Sara couldn't help but smile in return.

They grabbed their coats, and headed for Grissom's car. It had been several weeks since Sara spoke with Grissom regarding her leave of absence. Several weeks since he held onto her as she cried on his shoulder. He proved to be more than willing to listen to her, and comfort her when she truly needed him. To the rest of the world they were simply colleagues. To each other, however, so much more was true. Still, there was so much Sara had yet to tell him about herself. Certain things she simply couldn't talk about.

"Sara, honey? You still with me?" Grissom glanced over at her as he pulled into the Denny's parking lot. Sara seemed distant this day.

"Sorry. Guess I need some coffee." She grinned sheepishly, and shrugged.

Grissom didn't quite believe her, but decided to let it be for now.

"Let's get some food, and then go over that evidence again before Hodges sees his car." This evoked a rolling laughter from them both.


	2. Coffee

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing here. Please no sueing.

Chapter 2

Back at the labs:

Hodge's lower lip couldn't have hung lower if they'd placed a lead weight over it. He stared dejectedly down at the shiny antenna in his gloved hands.

Nick gave him a sympathetic grin, and shrugged it off.

"It should snap right back in place, Man. No harm done." He grabbed the print off of Hodge's desk, and followed after Warrick leaving Hodges making small whimpering sounds.

Grissom dunked his tea bag a few last times before setting it aside to enjoy the hot liquid. He breathed in the fresh aroma before taking a cautious sip. Sara watched his actions. His every move seemed to intrigue her. She loved that she could study him leisurely without the fear of being caught. Grissom looked up. She grinned, and sipped her coffee. The crowded restaurant bustled around them, oblivious to the two silent patrons. He squinted his eyes at her, as if something of interest had suddenly come to him.

"What?" Sara set down her mug.

"Where were you this morning when I called?" His curiousity needed to be quenched.

"I was driving out through the desert." Sara looked into her coffee mug, and shrugged her shoulders. "It helps me relax. I turn up the music as loud as it'll go, and drive fast."

"Hmm." Grissom seemed satisfied by this answer. He leaned back in the booth. "Any thoughts on our missing murder weapon?"

Aw, back to reality and work.

"Several, but I'm more interested in finding the primary crime scene. She bled out. There was blood all over the inside of the car, but not near enough." She took another long sip of coffee.

The victim in question had been found sprawled across her car hood with multiple post-mortem puncture wounds. There were gashes across her chest where someone has sliced her horizontally with a sharp, thin object; likely a knife, but none were found at the crime scene. Also, the lack of blood at the scene pointed to this as the secondary scene.

"No word yet from Jacqui on our prints. She's still a Jane Doe." Grissom watched as Sara stiffened at the words. It was one thing not to find the murderer, but not being able to get the victim home to their family was something that Sara couldn't stomach. She set down her mug, pushed it forward, and grabbed the check.

"I got this one. You get dinner." She made her way to the counter, not waiting for him to follow. She felt the sudden need to be on the case, and not just talking about it.

TBC

(Short one, but very busy...will type out next soon!)


	3. Someday my Prints will come

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing here. Please no sueing.

Chapter 3

Sara walked quickly towards the trace lab, Grissom fast on her heels. He was growing more concerned. Neither had really slept since the previous shift. Despite his own need to find closure for this case, he was feeling the affects of sleep deprivation. Sara wasn't telling him what was eating away at her either. It was upsetting for him, considering their new openness with each other. She was holding something in. He knew the look that had come over her face at the diner upon the mention of their Jane Doe. He'd felt it himself many times in his past, but never with the ferocity that Sara acquired. He rounded the corner to find Sara placating a very miffed Hodges.

"Don't be such a baby. No harm done, and you helped us with an important part of the case." Sara grinned.

"Does that mean I get a raise? No. Does that mean you people respect me more? Not really. Am I gonna get taken along on little field trips like Sanders? Unlikely! So. . .what do I get out of these constant annoyances in my daily life?"

"The satisfaction of a job well done?" Grissom's voice over his shoulder, caused Hodge's eyes to widen with sudden fear.

Sara chuckled, and walked past Hodges towards Jacqui. Grissom gave him a lopsided grin, and shook his head. For his part, Hodges stood there opening and closing his mouth as if the perfect comeback was fighting its way out, but not quite winning the battle.

"Anything yet?" Sara stood next to Jacqui who was hunched over a folder, examining a print.

"No hits yet on your Jane Doe, but we got a match on one of the sets on the outside of the car. From the hood." She handed the print out to Sara as Grissom approached.

"Matthew Grottwahl. Has some B&E's in his past. Whoa. Attempted rape? Looks like his ex has a restraining order on him." Sara handed the page off to Grissom. "Sounds like a good suspect."

"I'll call Brass. See what else he can dig up on our guy. Let's make sure he didn't break that restraining order." Grissom looked over at Sara.

"I'll check the missing person's database for our vic too."

"Ok. I'll page you as soon as I talk to Brass." Grissom's voice was soft with concern, and he wanted so much to reach out to offer Sara some reassurance, but this was not the place.

Jacqui glanced up at the two CSI's, and shook her head. If she hadn't valued her job, she'd have told them to get a room.

TBC


	4. From the outside Looking In

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing here. Please no sueing.

Chapter 4

Through the two-way glass of the interrogation room, Sara watched as Brass led the suspect in, motioning for him to have a seat at the large, metal table. Grissom walked in behind them, taking his place across from Matthew Grottwahl. He was a short, thin man in his mid thirties with an unshaven face, messy dark-blonde hair, and what seemed to be a permanent scowl. He sat hunched over the desk examining his nails, and tapping his foot rapidly.

"There someplace you gotta be?" Brass eyed the man's fidgety hands.

"I got work to do, Man. I'm late, I could get fired."

"You late a lot?" Brass stood to Grottwahl's side to up the intimidation factor.

Grissom studied the suspect's face, and noted his stature. This was not a very strong-looking man. He opened the case file in front of him, and read insilence as Matthew eyed him suspiciously.

"What's the deal, Man? I'm on probation. That bitch say I did something? Cause I didn't! I don't want anything to do with her, Man! She's nuts!" He looked pleadingly up at Brass, who rolled his eyes. He'd heard it all before.

"Then why'd you try to rape her, 'Man'?" Brass placed his hand on the back of Grottwahl's chair. Jim Brass wasn't a large man, but he was substantially larger than their suspect.

"She's crazy! We were dating. She just got a little drunk, and copped an attitude. Then the next day she goes off on me about how I forced her. She's nut, Man!"

Sara could feel her jaw tightening as she watched from her secluded room.

"So, because she was your girl, she should give it up, no questions?" Brass pulled a chair up close to their suspect, and sat down.

"I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Then why did she have a restraining order on you, Matt?" Brass shook his head.

"I tried to see her. I wanted to talk to her, and explain my side, but she wouldn't let me. She went all psycho about how I 'violated' her and all that crap. What's up with that? We were dating for like three months!" Grottwahl clinched his fists tight on the table. Grissom narrowed his eyes.

"You seem to have a problem with boundaries, Matt." Grissom dropped a set of photos on the table in front of him.

"Where'd you get those?" Grottwahl grabbed up the photos in shock.

The images were of the suspect's ex-girlfriend tied up, and not enjoying herself. Sara had seen the photos earlier, and was surprised by the suspect's shock at seeing them now. The last photo showed the victim with a long cut across her chest. Not deep enough to have caused her death, but obviously horribly painful.

"Where'd you get these?" He held them up in the air at Brass.

"You should know. You posted them on the net right?" Brass glanced over at Grissom.

"No way! I never did that to her, Man. That's sick! I don't know what all she told you guys, but I never did THAT!" He tossed the photos at Grissom in disgust. Brass eyed Grissom, genuinely surprised to find that, unless he was a really great actor, Matt hadn't taken these photos that seemed to show the victim just before her death.

"Yeah, well you won't mind if we search your home computer to back you up on that then will ya?" Brass stood up, nodding to Grissom.

"I don't even got a computer. I work on cars, Man. I ain't into all that geek shit." Grottwahl put his head in his hands exasperated.

Sara stared at the scene in dismay. They thought they had their guy. She had thought closure was right in front of them. At least they had a name for their Jane Doe now; Karlie Daniels, twenty-three, and studying to become a nurse's assistant. Now that they knew who she was, they could look at who else knew, and why she ended up dead on that car hood out in the dessert.

TBC


End file.
